The current US 19 construction project from Whitney Road to State Road (SR) 60 in Clearwater, Florida, is set to be open for traffic six months before the scheduled completion date.

Florida governor Rick Scott, state senator Jack Latvala and Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) secretary Ananth Prasad announced the acceleration of the completion of the project.

The $112m project comprises removing traffic signals on US 19 between Whitney Road and SR 60, the construction of two new interchanges at Seville Boulevard and Belleair Road and rebuilding of the SR 60 interchange.

"This project improves the safety of the travelling public."

Governor Scott said: "FDOT has formed an agreement with the contractor to accelerate work, to get everyone off of these service roads sooner.

"While the project was slated to be completed by the summer of 2015, with the new agreement we’ll get traffic off the service roads by this October.

"We’re investing $4.8 million to speed up this work so businesses can be more successful and area residents can spend more time with their families. This agreement will provide the region a lot of relief, and when all the construction is completed – this area will be more poised to succeed."

Pedestrian facilities, such as sidewalks and islands with pedestrian crossing signals, will be updated in line with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The project will see a 2.5 mile continuous section of roadway free of traffic signals, which will ultimately complete more than seven miles of continuous roadway along US 19 free of signals.

FDOT secretary Ananth Prasad said: "This project improves the safety of the travelling public, reduces travel time by eliminating congestion and separates local traffic from through traffic by including frontage roads."